Snail
A gastropod mollusk, typically with a coiled external shell, that moves on a muscular foot and often produces mucus.
Gastropod: A mollusk in the class Gastropoda, usually distinguished by a muscular foot and a head bearing sensory organs. Snails belong to this diverse mollusk class, alongside slugs and sea snails.
Gastropod locomotion: Movement in gastropods, usually produced by muscular waves along the ventral foot. Snails advance by propagating contractions across their broad foot.
Apple snail: A freshwater snail in the family Ampullariidae, several species of which are invasive crop pests. Invasive apple snails can damage rice and other wetland crops.
Giant African land snail: A common name for large invasive land snails in the genus Lissachatina, especially Lissachatina fulica. Its exceptional size and spread make it a prominent case of an invasive land snail.
Mollusk conservation: The protection and management of mollusks, many of which face habitat loss, pollution, invasive species, and climate change. Land and freshwater snails are often overlooked in conservation planning despite high extinction risk.
Mollusk: An invertebrate animal in the phylum Mollusca, typically with a soft body and a mantle. This broader animal group includes snails, clams, and cephalopods.
Gastropod mucus: A secretion that lubricates and protects gastropod surfaces and can aid movement and adhesion. Snail mucus helps the foot glide while reducing damage from rough surfaces.
Cornu aspersum: A land snail species commonly called the garden snail, native to the Mediterranean region and widely introduced elsewhere. This familiar species is both a garden pest and a commonly farmed edible snail.
Roman snail: Helix pomatia, a large European land snail with a rounded shell, also known as the Burgundy snail. This species is associated with European snail cuisine and conservation concerns.
Island biogeography: The study of how island area, isolation, and habitat shape species richness and extinction. Island snail diversity offers unusually clear evidence of isolation and extinction shaping evolution.